ELK CREEK, Neb. (AP) — Many southeast Nebraska residents hope a Canadian firm will eventually build a mine to extract a rare mineral used to make steel from deep beneath the ground, but they're not counting on it.
Nearly 100 people who live near Elk Creek attended a meeting Wednesday with top officials from NioCorp Developments to hear about the possible niobium mine.
Eldon and Esther Buethe own some of the land being explored by NioCorp. They think a mine would be good for the area if one is built.
But many area residents have been hearing about the prospects for a niobium mine for several decades, including a previous company that explored the site for years before abandoning it.
That's why even project supporters try not to get excited about it at this stage.
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